Admirals Veteran Retires

Hampton Roads Wins 2nd Preseason Game

NORFOLK — On Thursday night, Kelly Sorensen expressed concern that the Hampton Roads Admirals had so many talented young players and so little room on the roster.

So on Friday morning, he did his part to alleviate the logjam, clearing a roster spot with the surprise announcement of his retirement.

Sorensen, 24, scored 71 points in 115 games with the Admirals over the past two seasons. He said he had wrestled all offseason with the question of whether he wanted to return for a third season.

``I didn't know until this morning,'' Sorensen said before the Admirals' 7-4 exhibition victory over Wheeling at Scope on Friday night. ``It was a long summer deciding. One day I was coming back, the next day I wasn't. I felt good in camp, and I'm confident in my abilities at this level, but my motivation isn't 100 percent, and I feel like I'd be letting the team down if I took a roster spot away from a kid who's really ready to play.''

Sorensen, who spent the summer working as assistant golf pro at the Honeybee Golf Club in Virginia Beach, said he plans to continue with that job on a fulltime basis. He said he plans to be a regular at Admirals games this season.

Admirals president Blake Cullen said he would try to arrange to retain Sorensen's rights in case he decided later in the season to return to the ice, but there was a possibility he would be made available to other teams through waivers when he left the team.

``This was a very, very, very tough decision,'' Sorensen said. ``My mind is still scattered, but I believe it's the right thing to do. I've played hockey for, what, 20 years, and I'm going to miss it.''

Coach John Brophy said the Admirals would miss Sorensen.

``He's got a heart as big as this building,'' Brophy said. ``It's his decision, and you've got to respect that. He's a hustlin', hard-workin' guy, and I hope he gets his golf game honed to where he shoots a 65 every time out.''

Sorensen's departure, along with nine unsurprising cuts, brought the Admirals' roster to 20 players. Brophy will use the final two exhibition games - tonight in Johnstown and Sunday in Wheeling - to make the final three cuts necessary before next Tuesday's season opener in Roanoke.

After Thursday's rookie-heavy roster, Friday's Admirals' lineup served as a legitimate preview of the regular-season team. Players expected to make significant contributions - such as forwards Rod Taylor and Trevor Halverson and defenseman Brian Goudie - made their first appearances.

Goaltender Patrick LaLime, expected to share time with Shamus Gregga, played well in his Admirals debut.

Defenseman Tom Menicci might have earned the final spot on the Admirals' back line, putting up a goal and two assists. The Admirals also got goals from Taylor, Halverson, John Porco, Rick Kowalsky, Matt Mallgrave and Jim Brown.